Unshared Feelings: A Byler Love Story

Chapter Two

"Uh, sure," Will replied, scooting over so Mike could sit next to him. Mike sat down and looked around the room

"It looks a little different in here," He said. Will didn't say anything. He didn't know what the room looked like before. Of course Mike did. El is his girlfriend, after all.

He will never like you.

He probably hates you.

I hate myself.

"So," Mike said, breaking Will's train of thought. "I was thinking. It's been a little weird between us, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Will replied. He tried his best to sound neutral, but his insides were burning. He didn't know where this conversation was going.

"I know we already talked in Lenora, but I feel like there's something else going on."

Will inhaled sharply. He didn't want to talk about this. Not now, not ever.

"What do you mean?" That was all he could muster to say.

"Well... I feel like I don't know how to talk to you anymore. I just, I don't know. I thought you were... mad. At me."

"Mad at you? Why on earth would I be mad at you?" Will exclaimed, maybe a little too loudly.

"Sorry, sorry," Mike said. "It's just... I mean, one second, you're happy and showing me this incredible painting, and the next, you're crying."

"I-I wasn't crying," Will stammered. It was unconvincing, even to Mike's standards.

"I think I know what's going on," Mike said slowly.

"W-what? What do you mean? There's n-nothing going on!" Will said defensively.

"Will. It's okay. I'm not mad at you." Mike started. Will couldn't bear it. He felt like he was going to throw up or start crying or maybe both. He bit his lip to stop himself. "I'm mad at myself. I mean, honestly. I don't write to you for a year, then I come to California to visit you, ignore you the entire time I'm there, and make you cry, only to realize after the fact that I forgot your birthday! I mean, who does that?" Mike looked relieved to get that off his chest.

"It's fine, Mike. Really. We have bigger problems now. Besides, I overreacted." Will tried to wave it off as nothing and make sure Mike didn't feel mad at himself. However, on the inside, Will was screaming. Not with anger, but with relief. He felt like he could finally breathe. Mike didn't think Will was in love with him, and he intended to keep it that way. Now all he had to do was talk to El about the painting, but he wasn't sure how. She stayed firm on the rule that 'Friends Don't Lie, so how would she react to this? He supposed that she had lied to Mike at the roller rink, so maybe they could call it even.

"Boys! Waffles!" Hopper's voice boomed through the closed door. They both stood up and walked to the door. Mike's hand hovered over the handle before he turned to Will.

"Three Inch minimum," Mike laughed.

"What?" Will said, confused.

"Hop. He always told El and I to 'keep the doors open 3 inches'" Mike mocked Hopper's voice and smiled as he remembered last summer.

"Oh, right. I'll remember next time." Will smiled. As they all sat around the table, Will felt a weird thought creep in. He knew he was probably overthinking, but he couldn't shake it.

Why the hell was Mike comparing him to El?

"So," El said, breaking the silence. "I was thinking, maybe we could visit Max today?"